Adjustable lever actuated tire bead breaking tool



Oct. 27, 1953 M. B. RODGERS 2,656,882

ADJUSTABLE LEVER ACTUATED TIRE BEAD BREAKING TOOL Filed Feb. 16, 1951 FIG. 1.

IN VEN TOR. Mfl/VJEZ 8. P00 GEES,

Patented Oct. 27, 1953 ADJUSTABLE LEVER ACTUATED TIRE BEAD BREAKING TOOL Manse] B. Rodgers, Memphis, Tenn. Application February 16, 1951, Serial No. 211,246

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to tire breaker tools and more particularly to an adjustable tool for breaking tire casings of various sizes away from the associated tire rims.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved tire breaker tool for breaking tire casings away from the associated rims in dismounting the casings for repair of the casings and inner tubes, which tool is fully adjustable for all commercial sizes of tire casings and rims including the large tires used on farm tractors and heavy industrial and earth moving equipment; which has a mechanical leverage effective to greatly increase the manual force applied to the tool for freeing a casing from its rim; which has a base of sufiicient length to prevent tilting or rocking of the tool while in use; which has levelling means for properly supporting casings mounted on dished or bulged wheels; and which is simple, strong and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, and easy to use.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claim in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of a tire breaking tool illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the tool illustrated in Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a levelling block used with the tool when operating on tire casings mounted on bulged or dished wheels.

With continued reference to the drawing, the tool comprises, in general, a base frame It, a standard I I secured at one end to the base frame near one end of the latter and extending upwardly from the base frame substantially perpendicular thereto, a bracket I2 slidably mounted on the standard for movements of adjustment toward and away from the base frame, a handle I3 pivotally connected at one end to the bracket I2 and extending from the bracket longitudinally of the base frame toward the end of the latter remote from the standard, a handle extension I l having in one end a socket receiving the distal end portion of the handle I3 and a pressure arm I5 pivotally connected at one end to the handle I3 adjacent the pivotal connection between the handle and the bracket and depending from the handle toward the base frame Ill.

The base frame It comprises a pair of angle iron members I6 and Il disposed in spaced apart and substantially parallel relationship to each other and coterminous at their opposite ends, a cross frame member I8, also formed of angle iron, extending transversely of the members It and I1 and secured to these members at the ends of the latter adjacent the standard II, a second cross frame member I9 longer than the member I8 secured to the members I6 and IT at the ends of these members remote from the cross member I8 and extending perpendicularly to the members I6 and I I and symmetrically to the opposite sides thereof, and two brace members 20 and 2I, also formed of angle iron, extending respectively from the opposite ends of the cross member It to the members I6 and I! at locations adjacent the standard II. The members I 6, I7, I8 and I9 are disposed with their flat sides down when the frame is operatively positioned on a horizontal supporting surface and the brace members 20 and 21 are positioned with their fiat sides up.

The standard II is a length of tubular metal stock of rectangular cross sectional shape and is provided intermediate its length with a series of apertures 22 spaced apart longitudinally of the standard and extending substantially from the end of the standard remote from the base frame to a location intermediate the length of the standard. The lower end of the standard is disposed between the upwardly extending flanges of the members It and I! and the standard is secured at its lower end to the base frame by a bolt or pin 23 extending through registering apertures in the flanges of the members I6 and I1 and in the standard I I near the lower end of the latter.

Diagonal braces 24 and 25 extend from the end of the base frame at the cross member I8 to the standard II at a location spaced above the r base frame to rigidly support the standard in upright position on the base frame. These braces are secured at their lower ends to the base frame by a bolt or pin 26 extending through registering apertures in the upstanding flanges of the base frame members I6 and I! and in the braces 24 and 25 near the lower ends of the latter and are secured to the standard by a pin or bolt 27 extending through registering apertures in the braces near the upper ends thereof and in the standard at a location spaced above the pin or bolt 23.

The bracket I2 may conveniently comprise an elongated piece of plate metal having tapered end portions and arcuately rounded extremities bent to U shaped cross sectional form to provide a bight portion and two substantially parallel legs spaced apart to closely receive the standard II therebetween.

The bight portion of the bracket I2 is disposed at the side of the standard II near the cross :ness substantially equal member 18 of the base frame and the legs of the bracket extend from the standard toward the end of the base frame most remote from the standard.

A bolt 28 extends through registering apertures in the bracket legs at the side of the standard nearest the cross member IQ of the base frame and near the lower edge of the bracket adjacent the base'frame .lto connect the bracket on the standard for sliding movements toward and away from the base frame. A pin 29 extends through registering apertures in the bracket legs and through a selected one of theeapertures .22 .in the standard to support the bracket at selected positions of adjustment longitudinally of the standard and a handle 30 is secured to the bracket at the upper edge thereof and projects upwardly from the bracket for raising and lowering the bracket along the standard.

A pivot pin or bolt 3 l extends through registering-apertures'in the braeketlegs-near :the outer ends of the legs and through-anaperturefinrthe handle l3 to pivotally connect :thehandle -near one end to the bracket, the handle extending from the pin 3| toward the standard H .and a locking pin :32 extends through registering (apertures in the bracket legs betweenthe ;pin 3-.l and the pin or bolt .28 and is en ageable with the projecting end of the handle to support the handlein upraised position. as illustrated, iii-.Figure 2, to facilitate placinga tire and rim-assem :bly on the base frame 10. l hepin-tz is connected to the bracket by ,a short length of chain 33lone end of which isattached to'the pin 3,2;and the other end of which is attached to one :of the bracket legsbya suitable connector 34.

The, handle! 3 has an end'portion -35 of athickto the thicknesspfthe standard H so .that :it fits closely between the legs of the bracket 12 :and outwardly of-thisend portion 35 has a-reduced portion 36,;preferably of circular cross sectional shape, providinga grip for applying manual pressure to the handle.

The handle extension M isan elongatedv'tubular bar having an internal diameterrclosely -rea ceiving the outer p'orti-on136 of the handle and an annular ashou'lder tor collar 23.1 is provided-on the handle zintermediate the alengthwof the grip portion 36 to provide a stop TfOIlthG correspond- :in end of the extension M 1and'positionrthe extension on the handle.

The pressure arm l;is a straight bar-having at oneend a forkir38;whichstraddles:thelendapob tion 35 of the handleadjacent the distal ends of the bracket legsand isprovided Withitfllfl'llnal eyes 'disposedxone at each sidesof .the handle and provided at itsoppositeend with=apressure foot formation '39 extending to.one.side-.of the 'bar'and a lug or-anvil-FM] extending towardfthe opposite sideof the bar and toward the standard l l. A pivot pin-4[extends-through theeyes of the 'fork'formation 38 and-through an aperture in'the endportion' 35 of the handle to-pivotal-ly connect the pressurebar i5 tothe handle so that the pressure bar depends from the handle adjacent the corresponding end of thebracket l2.

The pressurev foot39 comprises apair of spaced apart and outwardly tapered lugs projecting from the lower end of the pressurearm in a direction away from thestandard H for insertion between the bead portion of a tire casing '42 and the corresponding flange of an associatedtire ,rim 43 and the anvil .40 provides anabutment to be struck by a hammer to force the tire break ing lugs between the casingbead and the rim flange.

In using the tool, a tire and rim assembly is placed on the base platform in so that the upper flange of the rim is adjacent the pressure foot 39 on the lower end of the pressure arm [5. Manual pressure is then applied to the distal end of'thehandle or lever '36 forcing the pressure foot downwardly to push the bead portion of the tire casing away from the adjacent rim flange. If the casing is badly stuck to the rim, :50 that the downwardly moving pressure foot merely deforms the casing without breaking it loose from the rim flange, the handle is pushed downuntil the sharp ends of the pressure foot are substantially even with the inner surface of the flange whereupon the anvil 40 is struck with a :hammer to drive the foot between the flange and the bead portion of the casing, whereupon pressure applied-to-ithe distalend of thehandle l3 will -.positively force the bead portion of the casing away from the rim flange. ioncezthe casing has been initially broken from the flange-it may be completely freed by manual pressure on therhandle alene,.th e tirerandrim-assembly being rotated on the base :frame as the casing is progressively broken away aroundtherim.

Certain types of vehicle wheels, suchgas the double rear wheels -.-on trucks, are dished .or

bulged laterally within the tire-rim so that, when the bulged :side of the wheel is placed on the base frame l0 of the breaker tool, :the-adjacent flange of the rim isspaced from the upper sur- V-face of thebase frame. In order to accommodate the tool to such a wheel shape, ..;a levelling block, generally indicated :at {45 and -,partic ularly illustrated in {Figure 3, is provided.

l his levelling .block comprises =two rectangular blocks '46 and 4'! so disposed that :one block exsymmetrically arrangedrelative to each other to provide asubstantially-cruciform structure. The twoblocks 46- and d-l-maybeiformed of anygsuitable material and, if formed of ;a-rmaterial :such as wood, may be; s ecured together by;a;bol;t or rivet. If formed of-iron, they may 'be welded together; as indicated,atddqnnFigure 3.

Th bl ck 4.6 :has a-widthsuch that .it is closely received between the iupstanding rflanges The block 41 then gextends :acrosszthe upper edges of the flanges of these ;base frame gmembers and has a thickness{substantially equalztothezbulge ord-ishof the dishedrwheel.

Theilevellingblock, structure 45 is slidablelongitudinal-ll of the base :frame members .116 and I1 and is .50 positioned that when ;the upper flange th t e .rim is disposed adjacent the foot formation 1'39 ,of the pressure .arm .15 the ;bl c,ck Ail is disposed under the lower flange of the-.;;ri-m and almost "directly below the pressure foot to,suppor.t;the rim against the pressure apphedto the upper side of the tire.- casing.

'When -;the "tooliis $15.86.. to loosen. the :tire casings .Ollzthfi usual iflatiwheels the levelling block 4.521s removedfrom-the base frameandthe lower rim flange permitted: 13.011188? id-irectly upon .the upper "e-(ligesiif the upstanding a esef the; members (Bye l -m n the-bracket 1,-2. ,along the frame In the tool can be adjusted to any commercial size of pneumatic tire. The length of the pressure arm l maintains the bracket well above the tire casing at all times, so that there is no interference between the bracket and any size of tire and the close proximity of the pivot pins 3| and 4| and the length of the handle 13 provides a mechanical leverage which increases the manual pressure applied to the distal end of the handle to such an extent that nearly all tire casings can be broken free of their associated rims by moderate manual pressure on the handle. The length of the base frame, being substantially as long as the combined lengthof the handle I3 and extension [4, prevents the tool from rocking or tilting up when a downward force is applied to the distal end of the handle or the extension. These various features render the tool easily usable by one man to free tire casings of substantially all commercial sizes. The locking pin 32 will maintain the handle out of the way while a tire is being placed in proper position on the base frame but, if the handle is found to interfere with placinga large tire, such as a farm tractor tire, on the frame, the pivot pin 3| may be withdrawn and the handle removed from the bracket until the tire has been properly disposed on the base frame of the With further reference tures of the device, it is believed to be particularly important to note that the several parts of the device are all inter-related, so far as their adjustability relative to one another is concerned, as to make a single size of the device applicable universally to the engagement of tire casings of wheels varying widely in respect to their diameter and transverse breadth. These desirable characteristics of the invention obtain by reason of the provision of the pair of spaced, parallel members I6, 17, the standard being normal to said members and being disposed in a plane common to that passing through the space between the members. The operating handle I3, in this regard, is spaced above the members, and swings in a plane common to that passing through the space between longitudinally of the standard toward and away from the bars. Further, the handle is provided with a depending arm swinging in a plane common to that in which the handle itself swings, the free end of the depending arm being swingably adjustable toward and away from the standard in each position to which the arm is adjusted, with its associated handle, longitudinally of the standard. Finally, completing the construction, I utilize a leveling block adjustable toward and away from the standard upon the members or bars "5 and 11. All these parts, as will be seen, are interrelated for cooperation during the actual operation of breaking a casing away from its associated wheel rim, with all the parts being adjustable relative to one another within a common plane shown as a vertical plane in the several figures of the drawing.

The invention may be embodied in other I specific forms without departing from the spirit to the adjustable feaor essential characteristics thereof, The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

A manually operated tool for breaking tire casings away from their associated rims, comprising: a base frame including a pair of elongated, straight members rigidly joined in closely spaced, parallel relation; a standard extending upwardly from and arranged normally to said members; a U-shaped bracket including a bight and legs projecting in spaced relation from said bight having the bight and portions of the legs adjacent the bight slidably embracing and connected to said standard for movement toward and away from said base frame with portions of the legs adjacent the free ends being exteriorly of said standard; an operating handle arranged longitudinally of and spaced above said members and having the portion adjacent one end pivotally connected to the exterior portions of the legs for swinging movement toward and away from said members; means carried by the legs and selectively engageable with means formed on said standard for supporting said bracket at selected positions of adjustment longitudinally of the standard; a locking pin removably supported in the exterior portions of the legs and engageable with the upper edge of said handle adjacent said one end of the latter for supporting said handle in an upraised position; a pressure arm depending from and pivotally connected at one end to said handle adjacent to and spaced from the exterior portions of the legs; the other end of said pressure arm being engageable against a tire casing supported on the base frame to break said casing away from its associated rim, said pressure arm swinging in a plane common to that of the operating handle for swingable adjustment of the pressure arm toward and away from the standard, in each position to which said bracket is adjusted longitudinally of the standard; and a leveling block slidably mounted on said members for adjustment toward and away from the standard and adapted to engage under and support, in spaced relation to the members, the flange of a rim supported upon said members.

MANSEL B. RODGERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,338,696 West et a1 Jan. 11, 1944 2,433,113 Graves et a1 Dec. 23, 1947 2,449,960 Toles Sept. 21, 1948 2,474,926 York July 5, 1949 2,488,539 Holbrook Nov. 22, 1949 2,523,979 Weeks et a1. Sept. 26, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 720,878 France Dec. 12, 1931 

